August 2, Feast of Our Lady of the Angels.
Ave Regina coelorum, Ave Domina Angelorum!
Hail virginal Mother! Hail purity’s Cell!
Fair Shrine, where the Trinity loves to dwell!
The stages of grief…
[I have been unable to access this blog for a couple of days, and would have posted earlier concerning the bridge collapse in downtown Minneapolis - a terrible, tragedy. It goes without saying, we are all praying for the victims of this tragedy, as well as the friends and family who survive those who lost their lives.]
Shock and awe.
I believe it is safe to say, everyone in the Twin Cities is stunned and deeply upset over the incident. Last evening, I was watching the 6PM news when the report came in. I at first assumed it had been a bridge collapse over the Minnesota river, until live coverage emerged and we saw that it was a major Interstate bridge in downtown Minneapolis.
Pain and sorrow.
The live images of the collapse were horrific. Survivors were sitting on the rubble in the middle of the river; a dog was running to the edge of one collapsed section, seeking freedom, no owner in sight. Vehicles were on fire, some hanging over the jagged precipice of the mangled concrete deck. I was stunned, tears in my eyes, muttering prayers for the victims as I watched the coverage throughout the night.
Frustration with the disorganization.
My first impression was that it had to have been structural failure, for some reason, unlike 9/11, terrorism never entered my mind. It is well known the infrastructure in cities throughout the United States is ageing and in need of repair. I thought of the steam pipe explosion in Manhattan just a few weeks ago - when 100 year old pipes errupted under NYC streets like a small volcano.
Anger.
Early on in last night’s coverage, Channel 5 discovered inspection reports from the bridge dating back to 2005, indicating weakness - ’structural defficiency’ - in the steel structure of the bridge. All of this information will emerge more clearly, proving that the bridge was an accident waiting to happen. The excuse will be that the weakness was not significant enough to either reinforce or replace the bridge. This bridge is not the only one suffering from ’structural defficiency’ - either in Minnesota, or the rest of the country. So far, the powers that be do not feel the risk is great enough to take care of these of problems.
Reorganization
What was it they once said in the first Bush presidency? Oh yeah, ”It’s the economy stupid!” Americans have to wake up and stop thinking only of short term profits and spending - we have to understand that the infrastructure is ageing and will continue to collapse - and the collapse of this bridge symbolizes this fact. To all of those in Congress, the Senate, and our President: “It’s the infrastructure stupid!”
A final note…
I just heard this story on the news. A man, pinned in his car beneath the bridge deck, told the rescuers who were unable to free him, “Tell my family I said ’good bye’.” He died shortly thereafter.
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